Château de Bonnezeaux: A reborn wine estate with a rich history
Located in the picturesque Loire Valley, Château de Bonnezeaux has a history that dates back to the early 19th century. Originally famous for its sweet wines, the estate fell into disrepair in the 1980s and the vineyards were neglected for more than three decades. In 2012, the family decided to breathe new life into the estate and appointed their cousin, Guyonne Saclier de la Bâtie, as the head of this ambitious project.
Guyonne, inspired by her internships with renowned winemakers such as Mark Angeli and Stéphane Bernaudeau, committed herself to restoring the vineyards and chose to produce dry Chenin Blanc wines, a departure from the traditional sweet wines of the region. After years of intensive work, she released her first vintage in 2016, which immediately stood out for its quality and craftsmanship. In 2019, Guyonne passed the baton to the young duo Léa Meslet and Pierre Boisseaux. With a shared passion for viticulture and a commitment to biodynamic practices, they have further expanded the estate and planted new plots. Their approach includes the use of traditional vertical champagne presses and long aging in wooden barrels, resulting in wines with deep minerality and refined complexity.
Today, Château de Bonnezeaux covers approximately nine hectares of vineyards. Despite the challenges of the past, the estate has established itself as a producer of high-quality dry Chenin Blanc wines, reflecting both the rich history and the innovative future of Loire viticulture and became one of the most sought-after wineries of Loire. The limited production is almost never for sale online.
Château de Bonnezeaux works entirely organically and with minimal intervention to preserve the pure expression of the terroir. No chemical pesticides are used in the vineyard, and the soil is worked by hand and with the help of horses to promote biodiversity. The grapes are hand-harvested and strictly selected to vinify only the best fruit. In the cellar, fermentation occurs spontaneously with indigenous yeasts, without temperature control, allowing for a natural and complex development of the wine. Additions are kept to an absolute minimum: no fining, no filtering, and only a small amount of sulfites at bottling, ensuring that the wines remain pure, vibrant, and authentic.
Chateau de Bonnezeaux
